Rutgers Under Pressure Over Mike Rice Video [VIDEO/POLL]

Rutgers University is under pressure over how it should react to a video of basketball coach Mike Rice aired by ESPN that shows him shoving, grabbing and throwing balls at players in practice and using gay slurs.

Mike Rice (in red) throws a ball at players during practice in a screen shot of video shown on ESPN. (ESPN)

The video shows numerous clips of Rice at practice firing basketballs at players, hitting them in the back, legs, feet and shoulders. Rice was also shown pushing players in the chest and grabbing them by their jerseys and yanking them around the court. Rice could be heard screaming obscenities and gay slurs at players.

Near Universal Reaction

There is outrage from all corners over the video from Governor Chris Christie to the Miami Heat star LeBron James wondering why Rice still has a job after Rutgers was made aware of his behavior last fall.

Christie in a statement said he was "deeply disturbed" by what he saw on the video which he saw for the first time on Tuesday. It's not the type of leadership we should be showing our young people and clearly there are questions about this behavior that need to be answered by the leaders at Rutgers University.”

That sentiment was echoed by the leaders of the state Senate and Assembly who both called for Rice to be fired.

"Clearly this is someone who should not be teaching young people. Rutgers needs to explain why this was kept essentially secret and they need to remove this man now!"said Senate President Steve Sweeney in a statement. ""The conduct of Mike Rice is unacceptable not only at our state university, but in all circumstances. It is offensive and unbecoming of our state," wrote Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver. "Mike Rice should no longer be employed by Rutgers University. He must go."

LeBron James tweeted "If my son played for Rutgers or a coach like that he would have some real explaining to do and I'm still gone whoop on him afterwards! C'mon."

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